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Preemies
Rowen Alexander born 10 weeks early 1/28/07
www.4wquestions.blogspot.com
What every NICU needs
im trying to compile a list of things that would be helpful for parents with babies in the NICU. our parents of preemies support group is going to send this list to the NICU's in our area asking if they have these items, if not would they like them donated. then we are going to do a fundraiser to purchase the items. was there anything that made your baby more comfortable like pacifiers?any ideas?
things like: a digital camera, photo paper, printer, books (if your NICU had books which ones were helpful?) a computer for parents to use etc.
Rowen Alexander born 10 weeks early 1/28/07
www.4wquestions.blogspot.com
This discussion has been closed.
Re: What every NICU needs
Things we had that I thought were nice:
Snacks & drinks in the parent lounge (milk, juice, crackers, ice machine, water.)
Phones in each room.
They had a digital camera with a photo printer that the nurses were encouraged to use. They also put the pictures online in something we had called babyicu (password protected by the parents.)
We didn't have books to read to the kids when we were there, but for Robbie's birthday, we donated a bunch and they said they had just discussed starting a program, so that got it started. (Yay us!)
They also had a few rolling carts of scrapbooking supplies for nurses or parents to make signs for isolettes/cribs. I know one day one of our NICU friends used the supplies to make a b-day card for her husband because she was having trouble getting away from the hospital to buy him one.
Pacifiers were available, and they also had paci clips (Robbie still has his "blue bunny" paci clip.)
I liked it when they had hats available. I had a hard time finding some at first. Eventually friends made a ton and gave them to him, but for a few weeks, the only hats he had were donated ones. (everything we could buy was far too big.)
I also liked the bean bag positioners and these little gel pillows to help keep his head round. Oh, and those bendable bumpers. I always loved when we'd come in and find him REALLY good and swaddled up, bendy bumper inside his snugli and wrapped nice and tight. He was so much more settled then.
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I think a parent break room is a necessary for every NICU. I wish there was a place for me to take a break, eat something, catch up on emails, and just relax for a little, and meet other parents. It should have lockers too, so you can leave stuff there and not have to cart things back and forth and not worry about your belongings.
Also, DS was born a week before Christmas, so the NICU gave all the babies a special NICU holiday shirt that was super cute. The nurse on duty Christmas day bathed him, combed his few hairs to the side like a big boy, and put the shirt on him. I was so proud of my handsome little monkey.
An ample supply of nursing pillows/foot stools would also be appreciated. We were always searching for one. Parents should also be sent home with some bottle nipples. It seems like parents often ask what they can buy that is comparable to NICU nipples.
Parents room with mini-fridge, weekly NICU support group meeting on site, camera with printer and paper, story books to read to babies, books on preemies and their development as well as dealing with grief and anxiety and PPD. Primary color pictures in laminated flashcard format so parents could put a different picture in the isolettes every day. Also, an LC dedicated to being on call for preemie moms struggling with BF'ing or using their pump, even just there to answer general questions once or twice a week.
Our NICU had a local pastor who played the harp for the babies. She played lullabies every Wednesday at 5pm and it was amazing how the alarms throughout the NICU would be going off like crazy all day long, but as soon as she started playing for that one hour they would be completely quiet and not a peep out of anyone. The nurses loved that hour.
On holidays or birthdays the nurses would make cards for the Mom or Dad from their baby with the baby's footprint and a little note from the baby. Sometimes they would add a little gift like a small scented candle or a picture or something along those lines.
Of course hats, isolette blankets, preemie clothes, beanie babies (the boys each got a beanie baby and we got to keep them when they were discharged), parent welcome care bags with water, gum, tictacs, a notebook journal, a pen, coins for vending, kleenex, etc.
I delievered at Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital, in Cleveland and their NICU is brand new and AWESOME! They have huge private rooms that were so nice.
The only thing I wish they had available were boppy pillows! We ended up bringing our own since the thin crappy hospital pillows didnt give enough support.
One thing that was really nice was a conversion chart for weight and feeding. I cant tell you how nice it was to know that when she was weighed in grams I could grab the chart and figure out what that meant in pounds and ounces!
I am always asking about this to the NICU nurses. Everything is in grams and I think in terms of lbs. and ozs. Same thing with ml and ozs.
Our NICU is nice, but is lacking in things like a camera etc. but we do have a lounge with a computer and stuff.
I agree - a conversion chart for weight is essential -- the Essential Guide for Preemies has several useful conversion charts and growth charts, and our NICU had three copies of that book. I think every NICU needs that book (I also have my own copy) - we looked something up in there every day.
as for the poster who said the new Rainbow NICU is great -- I'm glad to hear that, I saw the PD article when it opened and it looks amazing. I'm also glad to see another Cleveland poster here (we delivered at Fairview, which was amazing). Fairview has a fundraising event every year, and they have used profits to buy equipment, but also things like disposable cameras for parents and boppies for each mother. For some reason, getting my own boppy was such a big deal to me -- probably because they gave it to me when we started bottle feeding, and I felt like a real mom! I still use it every day. If other NICUs had the funds, I would love to see more moms get their own boppy.